


Killing one little bird with one giant rock.

by PhakeFysics



Series: Fallen Hero - Abyss/Anton [2]
Category: Fallen Hero Series - Malin Rydén, Fallen Hero: Rebirth (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, Strong Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2019-08-15
Packaged: 2020-09-01 09:34:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20255959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhakeFysics/pseuds/PhakeFysics





	Killing one little bird with one giant rock.

It was easy; parry, block, deflect. It was almost like Daniel wasn’t even trying.

Anton dodged the punch, grabbing the younger’s wrist and arm, throwing Daniel over his shoulder, slamming him onto the ground and promptly wrenching his arm behind his back, sitting on Daniel’s lower back, keeping his arm wrenched behind him.

“You hesitated,” the older man’s monotone voice drawled.

Herald grunted under Anton, knowing better than to struggle against the other, his arm already painfully pinned behind him, straining the muscles and joints. Herald sighed softly, pressing his cheek against the roof top - luckily it was early morning so the sun hadn’t had a chance to bake its heat into any surface it could hit.

He looked out the corner of his eye at Anton, giving that ‘I give up, you win’ puppy stare that made Anton sigh and release the younger’s arm, but he didn’t get up, still using Herald’s lumbar as a seat. “Do you actually take this training seriously?” Anton tossed his long braid of ebony hair over his shoulder with a huff, staring down his nose at Daniel.

Daniel sighed softly, “I am!” he protested feebly, trying to hide his obvious blush, and seeming to have a great and sudden interest in the intricate details of the roof.

_Dummes Kind…_

Anton only raised a pierced eyebrow, “Are you? From where I’m sitting, that doesn’t seem very true. You rely on flight too much, Daniel. And what happens when the bird’s wings get clipped?” he muttered, causing Daniel to glance back at him, trying to toss Anton off.

“That won’t happen…” the blond attempted feebly. Anton only hummed, his lip curling in a smirk. “And that night at the gala…? When the bird got his wings clipped?” Anton reaches back, pointedly prodding the spot on Daniel’s leg that got stabbed through, made worse by Abyss.

Daniel swallowed, jolting at the touch, furrowing his brows in worry.

_Good… know fear._

Anton sighed softly, keeping his facade up and getting off Daniel’s back and helping him up. “Hey look… I’m not trying to upset you. I just have to press the importance of you needing backup plans. You have to… be able to defend yourself when you’ve run out of options. Backed against a wall,” he offers with a gentle smile.

Anton had to learn to keep his walls up around Herald, the younger’s thoughts loud and intrusive, battering against Anton’s resolve. Idiot kid. Naive. Idealistic. Anton didn’t need to clip his wings. He needed to crush the entire bird under a rock.  
Daniel returned the smile, a remnant of a blush still lingering along his cheeks, but it could be chalked up to the exertion of sparring as the sun began to heat the day. “Thank you, Anton… I mean it. I… I appreciate you taking time out of your day to help me… help the Rangers,” his tone was so earnest, so laden and dripping with genuine admiration and appreciation.

Anton had to fight with every iota of his being to not cringe against the gentle wash of praise, Daniel’s genuine adoration of him crashing against his mind. Daniel’s infinite optimism and blinding positivity almost made Anton want to vomit from the sheer force of it against his walls.

Offering only a smile, Anton nodded, “Hey, no problem. Now… are you up for another round? Or are you tired of letting some washed up old man kick your ass?” he mused, lifting a hand to shove some stray hair behind his ear. 

There went that blush again, making Anton twitch his eyes into a slight squint. The flitting thoughts of Daniel imagining only briefly of running his fingers through Anton’s hair. 

_Don’t you /dare/._

Daniel sighed, running his hand through his hair, pushing it back, “You’re not old and washed up, Anton…” he stated carefully, flicking his gaze away as Anton’s only response was to cross his arms.

“It’s… going to get really hot soon… maybe we could.. Call it? Maybe go for some coffee?” Daniel offered gently, licking his dry lips, unable to meet Anton’s gaze. “After we… clean up, first… Maybe later this...after...noon?” the poor blond dared a glance towards the older man, feeling his tongue weigh heavily in his mouth at the burning suspicion those golden eyes pinned him with.

Anton sighed softly, pushing his hair away from his face, “I see… won’t even face an old man,” he teased, grinning a row of pearly whites that forced more heat to Herald’s cheeks. 

“You’re… you’re not old, Anton...but yes. I’m good on being tossed around today,” he offered with a chuckle and bright smile, which caused Anton to falter.

_You little bastard… I’m going to twist your bones until nothing but powder is left…_

The aggressive thoughts kept Anton focused. Reminding him that anger was the only thing to be felt. The only thing that mattered; revenge. Bringing everything down. They thought The Big One was hell? It was only a matter of time before the abyss opened its maw and swallowed everything whole, sending Los Diablos into the pits of Hell itself. The abyss was inevitable. The abyss was infinite. And if one stared too long, the abyss will begin to stare back and drag you down with it.

Anton seemed to mull it over, heaving a sigh of defeat, “I suppose I’ll let you win… just this once. And I see you’ve been talking to Ortega on how best to bribe me…” he relents woefully in dramatic fashion.

Daniel grinned widely, forcing another tidal wave of brilliant light against Anton’s walls. 

_I know your game… don’t think I don’t._

Anton squinted at Herald, “I see… so he has told you how best to bribe me. Did he also tell you how I take it?”

Herald shrugged sheepishly, both arms out to show his innocence, but it was too late - right at the top, Anton heard the ‘black with one sugar’ flit the surface of Daniel’s mind. Anton smirked and Daniel’s face fell, realizing he had played his cards. 

“Antoooonnnn,” he whined, “That’s cheating,” he pouted, tacking on a mental ‘butthead…’ which forced a snort from Anton.

The fact that Herald’s mind was so stupidly open was suspicious - a ploy, a trap. Surely… That smile couldn’t be real. It was too trained, too perfect and brilliant. Enough to make something flutter in Anton’s gut. Herald’s demeanor, his smile, his act… it was too perfect. And he claimed to have grown up watching Sidestep? When there were better, cooler, actual heroes? 

It was a trap and a poorly set one at that. Anton knew they set Herald up for this. He was the youngest, the PR poster boy. The perfect bait.

_Disgusting little weasel…_

_Cute… but disgusting._

_...Warte eine Minute…_

Anton blinked as Daniel waved in his face, “Anton? You still with me?” he asked, concern lacing his words and expression. Anton looked at Daniel briefly, nodding some.

_Annoying little bird…_

“Yeah, I’m fine. Think the heat is beginning to get to me. So… how about that coffee? I could use a pick me up,” Anton forced a smile onto his face.

Herald grinned, his thoughts eking out, _‘I’ll be your pick-me-up…’_, which caused Anton to momentarily pause as he busied himself with his duffel bag, pretending not to have heard that.

_Vile…_

All Anton had to do was find a rock big enough to squash the bird for what it was - a nuisance…

_Shame too… he’s cute… maybe if I play my advantage right… I could corrupt the little bird into something else. Crushing it is too easy…_

Anton couldn’t hide the grin on his face as he sorted his things in his duffel bag before tossing it over his shoulder. Daniel took the smile at face value before gingerly moving over to Anton to hoist him up and fly him back to the ground. All the while, Anton could hear Herald’s heart pounding at their close contact.

_Oh… this is going to be a fun game._


End file.
